How to create and manage a Key Vault in Azure

Azure

About Azure Key Vault

Azure Key Vault is a cloud-based service provided by Microsoft that offers secure storage and management of cryptographic keys, secrets, and certificates used for protecting data, applications, and services. It enables developers to store, manage, and securely access cryptographic keys, secrets, and certificates, simplifying the task of protecting data and securing applications. Key Vault is an important tool for any organization that seeks to maintain security and privacy when dealing with sensitive data and digital assets.



Azure Key Vault Features

Azure Key Vault offers a wide range of features and benefits that make it an ideal solution for organizations that need to manage cryptographic keys, secrets, and certificates. These features include:

    1. Key management: Key Vault enables the secure storage and management of cryptographic keys used for protecting data and applications. Key Vault supports a range of cryptographic algorithms, including RSA, AES, and ECC, and can be used for key generation, key import/export, key rotation, and key versioning.
    2. Secret management: Key Vault enables the secure storage and management of secrets, such as connection strings, passwords, and API keys, used for authenticating and authorizing access to resources. Key Vault supports both standard and custom secrets and can be used for secret versioning, secret rotation, and secret permissions.
    3. Certificate management: Key Vault enables the secure storage and management of X.509 certificates used for securing communication between servers, clients, and services. Key Vault can be used for certificate signing, certificate import/export, certificate revocation, and certificate monitoring.
    4. Role-based access control: Key Vault provides granular role-based access control (RBAC) that enables administrators to manage access to keys, secrets, and certificates based on the principle of least privilege. Key Vault integrates with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) and can be used for fine-grained access control and multi-factor authentication.
    5. Auditing and monitoring: Key Vault provides auditing and monitoring features that enable administrators to track access to keys, secrets, and certificates, and to monitor the use of cryptographic operations. Key Vault integrates with Azure Monitor and can be used for logging, alerting, and analytics.
    6. Integration: Key Vault integrates with a range of Azure services and third-party applications, making it easy to use and deploy. Key Vault supports integration with Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Functions, Azure App Service, Azure Kubernetes Service, and more.



Creation of a Key Vault in Azure

  1. Log in to the Azure Portal using your credentials.
  2. Click on "Create a resource" on the left-hand menu.
  3. Search for "Key Vault" in the search bar.
  4. Click on the "Key Vault" option and then click on the "Create" button.


Open Azure Marketplace


  1. Fill out the "Basics" tab with the following information:
    • Subscription: Select the subscription you want to use.
    • Resource group: Create a new one or select an existing one.
    • Key vault name: Choose a name for your Key Vault.
    • Region: Select the region where you want to deploy your Key Vault.
  2. Click on the "Next: Access policy" button to go to the Access policy tab.
  3. Select the permissions you want to grant to your Key Vault, such as access to keys, secrets, or certificates. You can also configure access policies for specific users or applications.
  4. Click on the "Next: Networking" button to go to the Networking tab.
  5. Choose the networking settings you want to use for your Key Vault, such as allowing or denying access from specific IP addresses or virtual networks.
  6. Click on the "Review + create" button to review your settings.
  7. After reviewing your settings, click on the "Create" button to create your Key Vault.


Create a Key Vault


Once the Key Vault is created, you can start using it to manage your cryptographic keys, secrets, and certificates. You can add keys, secrets, and certificates, rotate them, and manage access to them using the Azure Portal, Azure CLI, Azure PowerShell, or through Key Vault REST APIs.



Manage sensitive data in your Key Vault

  1. Navigate to your Key Vault and click on "Secrets" on the left-hand menu.
  2. Click on the "Generate/Import" button to add a new secret.
  3. Fill out the required information:
    • Name: Choose a unique name for your secret.
    • Value: Enter the value for your secret.
    • Select the appropriate activation date and expiration date for your secret (optional).
    • Add any tags that you want to associate with your secret (optional).
  4. Click on the "Create" button to create your secret.


Create a secret in Key Vault


You can also add secrets using the Azure CLI, Azure PowerShell, or REST APIs. Here's an example of how to create a secret using the Azure CLI:

az keyvault secret set --name <secret-name> --value <secret-value> --vault-name <key-vault-name>


To manage your secrets, you can perform the following actions:

  • View the properties of your secrets, such as the activation date, expiration date, and tags.
  • Update the value or properties of your secrets.
  • Delete your secrets.


You can manage your existing secrets using the Azure Portal, Azure CLI, Azure PowerShell, or REST APIs. Here's an example of how to update a secret using the Azure CLI:

az keyvault secret set --name <secret-name> --value <new-secret-value> --vault-name <key-vault-name>



Further Azure Key Vault Information

Compared to other similar services, such as AWS KMS and Google Cloud KMS, Azure Key Vault offers several advantages. One advantage is its scalability and performance. Key Vault can handle high volumes of cryptographic operations and can scale up or down based on demand. Another advantage is its integration with Azure services and tools, which enables developers to easily use Key Vault within their existing workflows and environments. Key Vault also offers a range of features, such as certificate management and RBAC, that are not available in other services.



Conclusions

In summary, Azure Key Vault is a cloud-based service that offers secure storage and management of cryptographic keys, secrets, and certificates used for protecting data, applications, and services. It provides a range of features and benefits, such as key management, secret management, certificate management, RBAC, auditing and monitoring, and integration with Azure services and tools. Azure Key Vault is an important tool for organizations that need to manage cryptographic assets securely and maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their data and applications.